Dates

WorldRiskIndex 2015

March 1, 2016;

Prof. Dr. Jörn Birkmann, director of the Institute of Spatial and Regional Planning,
University of Stuttgart and member of the IRDR (Integrated Research on Disaster Risk) Science
Committee presented together with colleagues from the UN University and the Alliance Development
Works the WorldRiskReport and the latest results of the WorldRiskIndex. The high level event that
took place at the German House in New York on 26 February 2016 was attended by more than 100
diplomats, UN officials and scientists. It was hosted by H.E. Ambassador Harald Braun, Permanent
Representative of Germany and H.E. Ambassador Masud Bin Momen, Permanent Representative of
Bangladesh.

The World Risk Index (see http://www.uni-stuttgart.de/ireus/Internationales/WorldRiskIndex/)
developed and calculated by Prof. Birkmann and Dr. Welle from the University of Stuttgart,
evaluates the exposure to natural hazards faced by 171 countries and assesses the inherent
vulnerability in the countries towards suffering from impacts when facing these hazards

The index shows that Vanuatu is the country with the highest disaster risk (Index value: 36.72)
among the 171 countries covered by the World Risk Index 2015. Tonga ranked 2nd (Index value: 28.45)
and the Philippines, ranked 3rd (Index value: 27.98). Whereas Tonga shows an increase in the lack
of adaptive capacities, the Philippines have managed to slightly reduce their lack of adaptive
capacities and susceptibility.

Thus, one can conclude from the results of the WorldRiskIndex that the conventional
classification of countries into least developed, middle income and high income countries is not
sufficiently applicable anymore for risk reduction and adaptation strategies that have been agreed
upon in Sendai (Sendai Framework) and the COP 21 in Paris in 2015. For implementing the Sendai and
Paris agreements, we need to better account for similarities of countries in terms of hazard
exposure and vulnerability profiles said Prof. Birkmann during the event.

Moreover, Dr. Garschagen from the UN University stressed that the report clearly shows that
hunger and food insecurity have negative effects on disaster risks and that disasters might
increase food insecurity. Floods or cyclone events, for example, often do not only destroy harvests
and granaries; they also destroy transportation infrastructure and lifelines, which hampers the
provision of supplies to crisis regions. Not only do disasters often have devastating consequences
for a country’s food situation but food insecurity conversely also raises disaster risk.